Air cooler and humidifier



,Jang 29, 1937. y

J. G. Ac'zunwuvmw AIR COOLER AND HUMIDFIER Y Filed` Nov. 4, 1936 Inventor Patented `lune 29,` A1

PATENT OFFICE Ant-COOLER AND HUMIDIFIER l James G., Quinlivan, Dickinson, N, Dak. Application November'i, 1936, Serial'No. '109,178

` 4 claims. (c1. 261-104) This invention` relates to an air coolerV and humidifier .that may be constructed on a; Ascale small "enough to be readily 'portable Aor.' which may be constructed on a larger scale for permanent installation,v the invention having for its object a construction which is simple in parts and less costly to manufacture and operate than those heretofore proposed.

With these and other objects in View the invention resides in the novel details of construcing a part of this specication and in which like numerals designate like parts in all the views,-

Fig. 1 is a vertical sectional view of the device taken as on the line I-I of Fig. 2 and looking in the direction of the arrows; and

Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of said device taken as on the line 2--2 of Fig. 1 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

The invention comprises a box-like container having the two vertical side walls I and 2, an end wall 3 provided with the opening 4 therein, and another end wall 5 provided with the opening 6 therein which last mentioned opening is preferably the intake for the air to be cooled and humidied. A lid 'I is provided for the container having conveniently disposed therein a water inlet closedas by the ydoor 8 hinged as at 9.

Adjacent the air intake 6 there is shown an electric motor Ill carrying the air impeller blades I I, said motor being supported as by the bracket I2 secured to the base or oor I3 of the container. Extending upwardly from the floor I3 is a retaining wall I4 extending substantially across the width of the container and suitably perforated to permit the passage of water therethrough. A plurality of porous absorbent units is provided, indicated by the numerals I5, I6, I1, I8 and I9, each unit of a length to t between the retaining wall N and the air discharge end 3 of the container, and of a heighth substantially equal to that of the container.

Each unit is of substantially rectangular form, with a longitudinally extending channel or recess Such as indicated by the numeral 2!! formed in the face thereof adjacent another unit. In other words, each of the two extreme side units Irand I9 will have only one recess formed therein, whereas each of the intermediate units I6, I1 and I8 will have similar recesses on their opposite faces all as clearly indicated in Fig. 2, 'I hese recesses form an upper shoulder as indicated at 2I and a lower'shoulder 22, each formed perpendicularly to the face of the unit, and the recesses are so Ypositioned that,4 when the units are assembled as shown, the shoulders will be in registry and thereby form a plurality of passageways for the air from the intake opening to the discharge opening.

The openings in the end walls are spaced above the oor a distance sufficient to provide an appreciable reservoir for water indicated at 25, said water being added as required by raising the door 8 in the lid l, and the recesses such as 2U are positioned in the face of the units sufiiciently far 15 from the bottom edge thereof so that no free water will be within said recesses.

Each unit is of absorbent material, which may be more or less cellular so as to be porous, and capable of producing high capillary attraction so that the water may extend well up into each unit. Various materials are well known as having these qualities and therefore it is not desired to be limited to any particular one but the following may be stated as suitable,-brous material including wood and vegetable matter, fabric of textile nature, bats of textile fiber fabrication, and certain clays.

It is to be particularly observed that the several absorbent units are in appreciable surface contact with each other at the top and bottom of the container, and that the thickness oi` a unit is appreciable. The reason for this is to create a substantial lling of the container with absorbent material, with a resultant maximum of contained moisture so that the air impelled through the device will not quickly dry the surfaces of the air passages formed by the recesses such as 20. If desired a sheet of felt may be interposed between the units and the floor of the container to serve as a cushion.

It is obvious that those skilled in the art may vary the details of construction and arrangements of parts without departing from the spirit of this invention and therefore it is not desired to be limited to the exact foregoing disclosure except as may be demonstrated by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In aA device of the character described the combination of a container provided with an air intake at one end and an air discharge at the opposite end thereof; means for creating a stream of air through the container; and a plurality of moisture containing units disposed in the air stream, said units being in contacting relation with each other at their top and bottom portions, each unit provided with a vertically walled recess in a side facing an adjacent unit, each recess coextensive with the unit in a direction from the air intake to the air discharge to form an unobstructed passage for the air stream.

2. In a device of the character described the combination of a container provided with an 10 air intake at one end and an air discharge at the opposite end thereof; means for creating a stream of air` through the container; and a` plurality of moisture containing units disposed in the air stream, said units being in contacting re- 15 lation with each other at their top and bottom portions, each unit provided with a vertically Walled recess in a. side facing an adjacent unit,

each recess extending from the top portion to the bottom portion 'of its unit and coextensive 20 With the unit in a direction from the air intake to the air discharge to form an unobstructed passage for the air stream.

3. In a device of the character described the combination of a container provided with an air 25 intake at one end and an air discharge at the opposite end thereof; means for creating a stream of air through the container; and a plurality of moisture containing units disposed in the air stream, said units being in contacting relation with each other at their top and bottom portions, each unit provided with a vertically-Walled recess in the side facing an adjacent unit, each recess extending from the top portion to the bottom portion of its unit and in registry with the recess of the next adjacent unit, each recess coextensive with its unit in a direction from the air l intake to the air discharge to form with a registering recess an unobstructed passage for the air stream.

4. In a device of the vcharacter described the combination of a container. provided with an air intake at one end and an air discharge at the opposite end thereof; means for creating a stream of air through the container; and a plu' rality of moisture exuding units disposed in the air stream, said units having at surfaces in 

